Protesters Voice A Variety of Messages Outside the DNC

A protester holds a sign in front of police officers outside the convention center.

Ryan LoydTexas Public Radio

In the shadows of the big bank buildings on College Street in Uptown Charlotte, protestors danced in the street, waved signs and played instruments.

Charlotte is known as "Wall Street South" because of its huge financial centers. Some of the hundreds of demonstrators want the money taken out of politics, some are against the war, and others want to preserve a woman’s right to choose.

This coalition, including 20-year-old Sebastian Feculak, believes elected leaders need to know what they think.

“It’s pretty amazing being out here with all these people, with this solidarity with all these different objectives," said Feculak. "It really brings attention to everything that’s happening that a lot of politicians may ignore.”

Even with President Barack Obama’s deportation halt for young people brought to the states by their undocumented parents, deportations of adults don’t sit well with those like Evan Kolosna, a student at the University of North Carolina - Asheville.

“We want people’s rights," said Kolosna. "You know, this is a nation built on immigrants, so we want people that have come here and are working hard here. We respect that and we don’t want to just kick them out and throw them out.”

Kolosna says it’s time for politicians to work together to support the people who vote for them, and his message is shared by hundreds in the streets of Charlotte, who timed their protest just before the DNC officially kicks off.

“We want to take our message directly to them," said Kolosna. "We want to say: ‘Hey, you guys are the Democrats. You’re supposed to be on this. You’re supposed to be the more progressive party. You know, show up and do what we want you to do.'”